X-47B drone returns to roost after historic flight testing

An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completes the first ever autonomous arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.MC3 Kevin J. Steinberg

Northrup Grumman's X-47B drone has completed its final flight and has headed home to its base, possibly for the last time. The entirely autonomous aircraft was the test bed for a number of future drone features, and the first to successfully land itself on an aircraft carrier.

"Salty Dog 502," as the operating X-47B is known (it has a twin not being flown at present), was temporarily staying at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, having flown there after scrubbing a landing attempt on the U.S.S. George H.W. Bush. A minor error was detected in its software and the test operators decided to have it land at a safe location instead of the carrier.

The aborted landing came after two successful ones over the last few weeks — the first ever such landings by an autonomous aircraft. The X-47B was created as a demonstration craft for the purpose of attempting such firsts, but will never see production. It was also the first autonomous craft to make a successful catapult take-off, earlier this year.